I forgot to post a join since I've been lurking on
this list for about a year. I'm also on the #SL4
quite a lot.

I'm currently studying computer science at Hofstra
Univ, NY, USA, but I have also studied biochemistry
and neuroscience for a few years. My main interest
is uploading which is my life =)

I'm doing a project in temporal sequence learning
with ANNs, and am planning on another project that
uses data mining methods to simplify biological
neuron models.

My career goal had been trying to commercialize
uploading but it turned out to be very difficult.
But I'm still looking for opportunities to help
bring about this and other technologies.

Uploading is mainly about neuroscience research
and bioassay automation, which is not really
dependent on AI. There could be some symbiosis but
the 2 areas are largely separate.

Finally, my take on the Singularity is one of
soft takeoff where AIs will gradually integrate
with and diffuse into the economy. The idea of a
sentient AI is somewhat redundant, "If AI can do
X it can do X without sentience."